Erik the Red led 25 ships carrying friends and their families to create the first Norse settlement in Greenland. Only 14 of these ships arrived safely, while the others were either wrecked or forced to return to Iceland. Erik later died in an epidemic that killed many of the colonists in the winter.
However, Leif Erikson (his son) set out to explore lands west of Greenland. Around the year 1000 CE, Leif is believed to have reached a place he named "Vinland," identified by many historians as part of North America, possibly Newfoundland or nearby regions. This expedition marked one of the earliest European explorations of North America, pre-dating Columbus by several centuries.
Erik the Red embarked with 25 ships, only a few reached Greenland and, eventually, his son discovered North America. Our approach to building and investing in companies mirrors this journey. We meet founders, Barn invests and guides them—those with the most potential become part of 25 Ships. A small percentage of these will go on to achieve remarkable success, much like the transformative discovery of new lands.
